American Guild of Organists

Here are some of Dr. Jeffery Carter's notes from the January meeting:

When once asked what a conductor does, conductor Gordon Houssein of the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Training Band (a wind ensemble) said, .I wave my arms about and hope for the best..

What is a conductor?:

A conductor is someone who leads and guides an orchestra or a group of singers in order to perform a piece to the best of their abilities. Conductors work in theater or stage plays, film or TV scores, lead orchestras and choirs that are either amateurs or pros.

What does a conductor do?:

The conductor makes sure that the music piece is interpreted properly by acting as the guide to the musicians or singers. He chooses and studies the music score, may make certain adjustments to it and relay his ideas to the performers so that when the music is played, there is unity and harmony. He schedules rehearsals, plans the orchestra's repertoire and attends
to other matters concerning the group he leads.

What educational background should a conductor have?:

Education and experience is what makes a good conductor, or for that matter, anyone who wants to attain a goal. Conductors often have degrees in music, knows how to play an instrument or several instruments, can sight-read, has a good ear, a broad knowledge of music history, styles and functions of various musical instruments, have taken post-graduate courses with emphasis on conducting and have experience leading ensembles whether they be amateurs or pros.

What are the qualities of a good conductor?:

A good conductor is one that is comfortable leading a group, a great motivator and communicator, has a strong stage presence, well-organized, flexible, especially in his schedule and loves to travel. He is able to build a connection with the musicians and uses hand gestures or signals that the musicians clearly understands.

Why become a conductor?:

Although this field is extremely competitive, becoming a conductor especially to well established orchestras, is both lucrative, gratifying and a position that is well-respected.

So, the question:

What is conducting? What is choral conducting?
. Ambassador for the composer
. Interpreter for the present day, time, location, and zeitgeist
. The conductor's job is to have a vision of the piece; to set the tempo, control and mix the sound from each musician, and to keep everyone together when the music moves. Good conductors combine technique, a repertoire of interpretative gestures, verbal skills...and a bit of charisma
helps too. .bbc.co.uk
. Art of communication, and art of leadership.

Important elements

Less is more
Stay still
Pivot points
Give them something to watch, and be consistent

Breathe

Conducting has more to do with singing and breathing than with piano-playing.
Colin R. Davis

Listen

One of the most important elements in teaching, conducting, and performing, all three, is listening.
Itzhak Perlman

Prepare

The real art of conducting consists in transitions.
Gustav Mahler

Broad understanding. Listen voraciously. Analyze with eagerness.
bbc.co.uk

I never use a score when conducting my orchestra. Does a lion
tamer enter a cage with a book on how to tame a lion?
Dimitri Mitropoulos

Reminders:

The bigger your gestures get, the slower the orchestra plays.
Ivor Setterfield

Smile always to the musicians. At the end of the day they are the ones who are playing. Not you!!
Natalia Luis-Bassa

Look the orchestra in the eyes even if you feel they are not looking back.
Peter Stark

There are no bad orchestras, only bad conductors.
Christopher Warren-Green

Make sure if you have metal cufflinks that they are secure. I once went on and started conducting furiously, and one of my metal cufflinks flew out towards the cellos. Luckily no one or any instrument was harmed!
Jason Lai

Never be rude, be diplomatic.
Jason Lai

If you have done what you wanted to do in a rehearsal, let the band go. The have an uncanny ability to know when you are wasting their time.
Jason Lai

Never forget, it.s the players who play the notes.
Peter Stark

Really know the music you conduct, in as much depth as you possibly can. The music needs to flow in to you, to take complete possession of you.
Brad Cohen

Dr. Carter referenced the following website:

Discover Conducting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/maestro/discover/

His personal website is www.jeffreycarter.us where you will find some fun links and some inspirational links, as well as all sort of ephemera.

He suggested the book Teaching Choral Sight Reading by Jack Boyd, published by Mark Foster.

Dr. Carter may be emailed at jrc@jeffreycarter.us.